Making Politics Work to Meet

the SDGs

Ray Offenheiser September 28th, 2016

Page 2

UNGA 2016: Report out on SDGs

But what does this mean? Some say…

• My sector is paramount

• Everyone must know about SDGs

• Partnerships are the answer

• Its all about the money—DRM

• Business must invest in market-

based solutions

• Data will produce outcomes

Dominant Narrative: “Business As Usual is not Acceptable”

Doing it Differently on behalf of the

SDGs: A Rights Based Perspective on

the SDGs

It’s a Political Project!!

Page 4

GovernmentPrivate

Sector/MNCs

Civil Society

Inclusive

Economies

& Policies

Doing it Differently: Key Ingredients

Page 5

Two Challenges to Civic Engagement

Closing Civil Society Space

The Data Dilemma

Page 6

Closing Civil Society Space Crisis

Some 90 countries

have introduced

substantial legal

and regulatory

reforms that

seriously limit the

ability of civil

society

organizations to

assemble, use the

internet or advocate

for policy reforms

with their gov’ts

Page 7

When DATA Kills Citizen Action

• Is there too much or too little?

• Should DATA collection and

protocol design be Supply or

Demand Driven?

• Role of DATA---define the problem

or aid the solution?

• DATA for whom---who is the

customer?

• Is DATA proprietary---who owns

the DATA?

• Should Civil Society have access

or independent sources?

• Who evaluates success?

Page 8

Examples of Successful Rights-

Based Civic Engagement

Burkina Faso

Ghana

Mozambique

South Africa

Page 9

Burkina Faso 1% Campaign

Page 10

Ghana Oil for Agriculture Campaign

Page 11

Mozambique: Reform of Family Law

Page 12

South Africa: Access to Medicines

Page 13

Thank You